Fender, Paul, and Rickenbacker
The names Fender, Paul, and Rickenbacker have appeared on the headstocks of millions of electric guitars, though none of them invented the instrument.
That honor goes to George Beauchamp, a Californian who, in the early 1920s, built the first true electric, dubbing it the “frying pan.” A friend, Adolph Rickenbacker, formed a company to build more. It was a modest start for a revolution.
Leo Fender’s hometown radio shop led him to repairing local musicians’ electrics. Intrigued by the possibilities, he closed the shop to start his own guitar company.
Les Paul was a musician and tinkerer from Wisconsin who puzzled over amplifying his acoustic guitar.
All did well and their instruments became icons for a generation. The three men brought thousands of guitarists out of the background and to the forefront, where they could play loud. And that’s just what they’ve done ever since.
